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Ship Photo of The Week
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) sails alongside the commercial tanker Overseas Mykonos during an extremely fueling-at-sea. U.S. Navy Photo
Top Stories
IMO Honors Bravery Beyond Measure
This week in London, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) awarded its 2024 Exceptional Bravery at Sea honors, spotlighting the indomitable courage of seafarers. Among the celebrated were Captain Avhilash Rawat and the crew of the Marlin Luanda, who faced down a Houthi missile strike in the Gulf of Aden, extinguishing a fiery inferno threatening their tanker and cargo of 700,000 barrels of naphtha. Their 24-hour ordeal, supported by international naval forces, averted an environmental catastrophe.
The Marlin Luanda on fire in Gulf of Aden. Photo courtesy French Forces
Captain Jorge Galaviz Fuentes and the Pemex Maya crew were also recognized for navigating Hurricane Otis’s fury to rescue six shipwrecked individuals. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez called their actions “an inspiration to us all.” Additional commendations honored crews for migrant rescues, firefighting, and disaster response, proving that even in the face of danger, the spirit of maritime bravery endures.
Automation Showdown
With a January 15 deadline looming, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) are locked in a high-stakes standoff over port automation that could paralyze U.S. East and Gulf Coast shipping hubs. The dispute reignited after the ILA walked away from talks last month, citing job security concerns over semi-automated cranes, which they argue are stealthily eliminating human roles.
This week, the ILA’s larger-than-life president, Harold Daggett, defended the union’s position on automation in a fiery Facebook post warning of national security risks and parallels to past job losses in the early days of containerization, stating, “This isn’t about safety or productivity—it’s about job elimination.”
The editorial prompted a response from the USMX, which countered that automation boosts efficiency, jobs, and wages, pointing to terminals where modern cranes doubled cargo volumes and daily employment.
As both sides dig in, the potential strike threatens to disrupt key trade arteries, leaving policymakers and port operators scrambling to mediate. Will modernization steer the industry forward, or will labor resistance halt progress?
Stormy Waters: Coast Guard Ends Search for Missing Crew
The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its 24-hour search for five missing crew members of the fishing vessel Wind Walker, which capsized near Couverden Point, Alaska, early Sunday morning. Despite scouring 108 square nautical miles in harsh conditions—snow, 60-mph winds, and six-foot seas—search teams recovered only immersion suits and strobe lights.
The mayday call and emergency beacon alert signaled the vessel’s distress in harsh wintry conditions, a tragic echo of past Alaskan fishing disasters. Ice accumulation has long plagued mariners in the region, contributing to incidents like the Scandies Rose and Destination sinkings, which claimed 11 lives combined.
Panama Drops the Hammer on Sanctioned Ships
The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) has expedited the cancellation of six Panamanian-flagged vessels following their addition to the UK’s sanctions list late last month. Armed with new statutory powers, the PMA is swiftly revoking ship registrations to protect the integrity of the world’s second-largest ship registry.
“This administration prioritizes safeguarding the prestige of our flag,” said Ramón Franco, Director General of Merchant Marine, reinforcing Panama’s commitment to sever ties with sanctioned fleets.
The move aligns with the UK’s largest sanctions package yet, targeting Russia’s shadow fleet, which is vital to Moscow’s oil trade and generating revenue for its war in Ukraine. While Panama’s decisive action bolsters global sanctions, concerns linger over vessels switching to less-regulated flags, potentially undermining safety standards.
Maersk Goes Green(ish)
A.P. Moller-Maersk is modernizing in a big way, announcing this week it has finalized orders for 20 dual-fuel containerships totaling 300,000 TEU. Built across shipyards in China and South Korea, these LNG-powered vessels will join Maersk’s decarbonization push, complementing its earlier green methanol-fueled orders.
The fleet renewal program, set for deliveries between 2028 and 2030, aims to replace older capacity while edging Maersk closer to a multi-fuel future. With approximately 25% of its fleet soon operating on dual-fuel engines, the shipping giant cements its role as a leader in sustainable maritime transport. While fossil fuel-based LNG is not Maersk’s preferred alternative fuel choice, it’s currently the best option as the green fuel supply chain struggles to catch up.
LNG Extends Its Lead
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) continues to dominate the alternative-fuel vessel market, claiming 23 of 27 orders in November, according to DNV. Container ships led the charge with 15 orders, followed by six car carriers, while ammonia-fueled vessels accounted for the remaining four.
With LNG-fueled vessels now making up over 2% of the global fleet, the adoption of the fuel is seeing unprecedented growth. SEA-LNG projects this figure to double as current orderbooks deliver. Despite LNG’s rising popularity—touting a strong safety record and scalability—critics point to CO2 and methane emissions and a lagging infrastructure for bunkering and liquefaction.
Industry leaders see LNG as a key bridge fuel, with future transitions to biomethane and e-methane expected to close the emissions gap. However, significant investment in supply-side facilities is needed to sustain this momentum and meet growing demand.
From Aiviq to Storis: Coast Guard’s Icebreaking Fleet Expands
The former Aiviq has been repainted in USCG red and appears poised to take on the historic name Storis, according to new photos from Tampa Ship LLC. This nod to history honors the original USCGC Storis, a WWII-era cutter renowned for Arctic patrols and decades of service before decommissioning in 2007.
Icebreaker Aiviq, now renamed to Storis, at the Tampa Ship LLC yard. (Source: gCaptain via swim_hour)
The new Storis, set to join the fleet as a medium icebreaker, will bolster U.S. Arctic capabilities amid growing geopolitical activity in the region. After an 18-month conversion, the vessel is expected to be mission-ready by spring 2026, homeported in Juneau, Alaska.
Acquired for $125 million, Storis addresses a critical gap in U.S. icebreaking capacity until the new Polar Security Cutters arrive.
U.S. Sanctions Tighten the Net on Iran’s Shadow Fleet
The U.S. has sanctioned 35 entities, including 21 vessels, linked to Iran’s oil trade, intensifying efforts to cripple Tehran’s revenue streams following its October 2024 attack on Israel and recent nuclear escalations. Among the targeted vessels is the CERES I, implicated in a massive oil transfer and a collision-turned-oil-spill this year.
Supertanker Ceres I detained in Malaysia. Photo courtesy Malaysian Coast Guard
Iran’s shadow fleet, notorious for tactics like false documentation and vessel renaming, has been instrumental in moving crude to China. With sanctions disrupting this network, operators face higher costs and fewer tankers, driving Chinese refiners to seek alternative suppliers.
As Washington aims to throttle Iran’s petroleum trade, the maritime industry is on alert to avoid entanglements with sanctioned entities while grappling with the risk of environmental disasters tied to rogue operations.
Somali Pirates Reemerge Post-Monsoon
With monsoon season ending, Somali piracy is expected to escalate, warns maritime security firm Ambrey. After a four-year lull, piracy re-emerged in late 2023, fueled by political turmoil in Somalia’s Puntland region. Pirates have adapted, using captured dhows as “motherships” to launch attacks up to 800 nautical miles out into the Indian Ocean.
Since November 2023, 43 incidents have been reported, including two hijackings. One vessel, the MV Abdullah, was freed after a $4 million ransom. Reduced security measures, following the Indian Ocean High Risk Area removal in January 2023, have left vessels vulnerable—none of the four boarded ships employed Private Armed Security Teams.
As piracy activity ramps up, experts urge the maritime industry to reinforce security protocols, including armed teams and voyage-specific risk assessments, to deter the growing threat.
As always, we’d love to hear your feedback. Email [email protected] with any questions, comments, tips, or concerns. Don’t forget to check out the Club Discord and gCaptain.com for the latest maritime news.
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